Display frame



Dec. 20, 1938. T. CHMHIELEWSKI ET'AL 2,140,656

DI SPLAY FRAME Filed Nov. 13, 1937 w I vMW 3 Patented Dec. 20, 1938UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Brook] yn, N. Y.

Application November 13, 1937, Serial No. 174,470 2 Claims. (Cl.40-1521) The present invention relates to improvements in display framesand more particularly to an easel type frame.

An object of the present invention is to pro- Vide a display frame inwhich the angle of display is kept constant.

Another object is to provide a simple construction which may be mouldedor pressed from a synthetic resin or like material.

A still further object is to provide a device in which no assemblyoperation is required.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a device formed according to the presentinvention in open position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary section taken on the line3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the support swung in theopposite direction, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken through the pivotalconnection.

In the form of display frame at present known the swinging supportingmember is kept from opening beyond a certain degree by means of variousforms of stops or webs which interconnect the body of the frame and thesupporting member. Thus, Patent No. 2,016,349 employs an additional stoppiece which is interposed between the swinging support and the body ofthe frame. The whole assembly has to be riveted or otherwise securedtogether by hand. The device according to the patent is composed of arelatively large number of parts and several of these parts must be madeof metal and the whole assembly put together by hand.

Our invention aims to produce a greatly simplified and improved frame ofthe general type shown in the above identified patent. Referringparticularly to the drawing, the display frame comprises a pair of framebars lil which are grooved or channeled at their inner sides, as shownat l I in Figure 5, and are closed at the opposite ends of the channels.The channels II are formed to receive the opposite vertical edges of anarticle [2 to be displayed. The article generally designated at l2 mayconsist in a photograph l3 placed between a sheet of plain glass l4 anda backing sheet of glass I 5 silver coated at I6 to form a mirror. Thearticle, therefore, presents a portrait at one side and a silveredmirror sur face at the other side.

Of course it is tobe understood that the device is not limited to anyparticular type of article type find ready appliany shape in which thediameters at different portions are of different lengths. As long asthere is a major and minor axis of different lengths the socket servesthe purpose of the present invention.

A U-shaped supporting bracket [9 has near the upper ends of its freearms a pair of inwardly directed pins 20. The distance between the freearms of the bracket I9 is such that the pins 2|] are held yieldably inthe sockets l8 of the bars l0. These pins 20 have a shape which is alsoout of round and is here shown as ovoid. The pins are smaller incross-section than the sockets with the exception that the greaterdiameter of the pins is larger than the length of the smaller diameterof the sockets so that a complete revolution of a pin in a socket isimpossible. The relation between the size of the pins '20 and the sizeof the sockets l8 and the relative shapes of these determine the extentto which the bracket l9 carrying the pins 20 can swing out of the planeof the bars I0. One convenient position for a display frame is thatillustrated in which bracket I9 is allowed to swing roughly 60. Thissupports the-portrait at a good angle for observation when it is placedon a table or the like in living quarters. It may very often bedesirable in putting the display frames to other uses to have the objectl2 disposed at a different angle to the horizontal. Variations in thisangle may readily be obtained by varying the relative positions or sizesor both of the pins and sockets in a manner that will readily beapparent to anyone skilled in the art.

From the description above it will be apparent that the frame bars H]are identical and are of such shape that they may be readily pressed ormoulded. Likewise the bracket l9 may be moulded in one piece from thesame material as the bars 10. Only two different parts are, therefore,required. The same mould can be used to turn out both of the bars l0 andthe bar I9 is the other part required. The glasses [4 or mirrors l5, l6are of ordinary rectangular shape and do not require any new operationsin preparing them for use in this display frame. When the bars ID areplaced over the opposite edges of the article I2 the bracket I9 isspread to spring the pins 20 over the enlarged portions ll of the barsand are then allowed to drop into the sockets I8. By the resiliency ofthe bracket IS the whole assembly is maintained together and no rivet orother attachment is necessary between the parts.

It will, therefore, be apparent that the device disclosed above is amuch simpler and more efficient device than has been heretofore known.No assembling operation need be performed before use. The display framesare customarily sold to a customer who intends to insert some displayarticle of his own between the glasses or glass and mirror furnished.The means for stopping the swinging of the bracket is contained withinthe frame bars and there is nothing visible of this mechanism. The netappearance of the device is, therefore, more ornamental and particularlyso when the moulded parts are formed of some of the new synthetic resinsor other plastics which are obtainable in a great variety of colors andtextures.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in thedetails of construction and design of the above specifically describedembodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof,such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display frame of plastic material comprising article holding means,and a supporting member, said holding means having an enlargedreinforcing portion provided with an outwardly opening socket ofsubstantially oblong shape, said supporting member having a pin to fitsaid socket, said pin having diameters of different lengths and thelonger diameter of the pin being shorter than the longer diameter of thesocket and longer than the shorter diameter of the socket, whereby thepin and supporting member are rotatable with respect to said articleholding means through part of a revolution, said pin being stopped bycontact with the opposite sides of said socket when turned to swing itslonger diameter towards the line of the shorter diameter of the socket.

2. A display frame adapted to hold an article having straight oppositeedges, comprising a pair of identical molded article holders with achannel formed lengthwise to receive the edges of said article, each ofsaid holders having an enlarged portion intermediate its ends andprovided with a socket opening oppositely of the channel, said socketbeing formed of substantially oblong shape with diameters of differentlengths, and a supporting means having pins adapted to fit into saidsockets and shaped to have two diameters of different lengths the longerdiameter being greater than the shorter diameter of the socket and lessthan the longer diameter of the socket, whereby relative rotation of thepin and socket is permitted through part only of a revolution.

THEODORE CHMIELEWSKI. NICHOLAS A. MONFORT.

